Two Teachers!

Wow, it has been a really long time since my last post! Time for an update :-)

The school year has finally started and we are already entering our 5th week this week. 31 more to go!! ;) I'm loving that I get to come home and share with Russell all of our "teacher stories". The funny things kids say make for some great dinner conversations. I even overheard one of my kids say, "I HATE that she's Mrs. Dotson now! Ugh," because he didn't want me to get married. So funny.

Trying to balance both teaching and being a student has been hard. I'm taking 9 hours while working and needless to say, I am tired. I know it's all for the best and all I can do is hope that I get into the grad program and give it my all. I know that either way it works out, God has a plan for my life and will lead us where He wants us.

Russell is taking a Sunday nap with the pugs, and I think I may join them. Lesson plans can wait. Naps are very dear to my heart!! :)

This week has been long. I never thought I could be as tired as I am, but with 26 students, it's easy to get exhausted by 4 o'clock. Even though it has been draining, this week has been really good. My kids are so enthusiastic about my class, something I love seeing. It is so refreshing to see their zest for life. I have also already been blessed by their generous hearts. I have a "Book Wish List" on the class website, and one of my students had her grandma order 3 of the best books on the list. How awesome is this?! I've never felt so adored before, and I've only known this sweet girl for 3 days.

Russell starts teaching this upcoming Tuesday, and I am so excited for him. He is nervous, but I know he will do a great job and that the boys will especially look up to him as a role-model. He has a whole lot to offer!

Not much else is going on. I'm beginning my second semester of speech pathology classes on Monday, so please keep us in your prayers as we go through a lot of changes next week. I'm excited about the classes, but a little concerned about all that is on my plate right now. Right now I'm struggling to stay awake. Until next time...

Cleaning woes

So my husband is currently sleeping. He caved and the pugs are now in my spot in the bed. Good grief, they are spoiled! :-)

Today I was thinking about my 2 final exams, how much I have to do, the fact that school begins very soon, and how I feel behind! I feel behind mainly in the fact that I want my house to be a little more organized. This probably sounds like something ridiculous to blog about, and mom, if you're reading this, I am merely confessing this to gain some form of help ;-)

I need a system! I tried setting up a "daily chore" list to keep the house consistently clean, but that didn't work. It still seemed like the bulk of my free time went to cleaning. I want to be able to do minor cleaning gradually to keep a consistently clean home. Now, I know, am I in my own world? :-) I understand that this is perfect world I am picturing, but any tips from my dear blogging friends would be of great benefit. Now, I don't live in mess, but I would like to develop a schedule that I can balance with being a grad student and a teacher. Any suggestions? What type of system do you use in your home? :-)

Something profound

So I usually always come to my blog with the desire of writing something profound, and when I get here, I always tell myself that it shouldn't have to be thought of, but should just come naturally. So here I am, not knowing if what I'm going to type will be profound at all.

Summer vacation is almost over; God has granted us many blessings and I am most definitely thankful. Russell got a teaching job with a sister school to mine, so we will have the exact same schedule all year long. How cool is that? I have been making A's in my first two speech pathology classes. We have loved this whole married life thing- it really is nice to be with the person you love everyday. Our house is coming along quite nicely, even though there is usually something being remodeled, it looks 1oo times better than when I first bought it. I really have no complaints. Sometimes I almost dig for something to complain about, because I think that's part of being human. But I am truly thankful and can't believe where God has brought me sometimes. Another huge blessing is that we have a plan for our finances. We started reading Dave Ramsey's "Total Money Makeover" and feel like because we have a plan now, it is possible to get completely out of debt. I'm excited about that!

School starts for us on August 11th (orientation) and I am excited about the new year. I think it will be a great one! I think the best way to get used to a new last name is to teach right afterwards. That should be fun! :-)

5 months!!

The countdown is shrinking!! On December 30th, we will only be 5 months away from our big day. I am so excited!! These upcoming 5 months are going to be a little difficult, but I know we can get through them. Russell will be finishing his degree back at UMHB this Spring, so we won't be able to see eachother that often. I will be finishing my last semester of teaching until vacation and finalizing plans for our wedding. I'm really excited :-)

Save the dates are going out this upcoming month!! We should have our engagement pics soon, too... will post those next!

Life is good!

Yesterday Russell and I took some engagement pictures with my friend, Nicole. We went to the Botanical Gardens in Austin and also to some downtown spots. I'm really anxious to see the pics and post some up here :-) We had a great time.

I only have 4 days left until I'm on my 2 week vacation. I am soooo pumped. The kids are ready... I can tell! They're all talking about Christmas. I think I'm going to spend the time getting back into my gym routine and finishing my book. I'm currently reading "We Were the Mulvaneys" by Joyce Carol Oates... it's been hard to find time to read this week because of the business of school... so I want to finish it this month.

Russell is going to finish his degree in May! I'm so happy for him. He'll be all graduated and then it will be time for us to get married!! Wow. Time is flying by! There are 166 days until the wedding and I'm sooo happy. I know it will be here before I know it.

Not much else is going on... just workin'!

Sunday

So this morning I was soooo excited to go to Journey Fellowship!! We went to the church and saw an empty parking lot... we asked each other if it was already daylight savings time, but concluded that it wasn't. We pulled up to the front of the church and there was a police officer and a friendly man who told us that it was their day of the quarter to go into the community and distribute food and water, but to please come back next Sunday. How cool is that?? We are definitely going to be going this upcoming Sunday!! I can't wait for this week to go by. I was a little disappointed that we couldn't go and see what it was like, but we ended up going to I-Hop and eating yummy breakfast. 7 days!!

Russell has been sick all week and I feel so bad for him. I think he is getting the flu... :( Unless he already has it. :-/ I thought he was getting better, but later today he got nauseous and had a horrible headache. I hope a good night of sleep helps him tonight!! That's also why we haven't met our nephew!! Rhys Edward Conklin :) I can't wait to meet the little guy. Hopefully we will see him next Sunday.

Today we did a lot to the house. Russell painted our dining room and now our house is beginning to feel more like a home!! And there's nothing like the fresh smell of paint on the walls... I know it's weird, but to me, it makes a house smell more clean. I tidied up the dining room after it dried, and then I rearranged the furniture in the master bedroom. I've been trying to decide which desk I want for my "office" (which will be located in the master bedroom) and Russell said he could probably make me one. This is what I've decided on:

Is that not the coolest thing ever? It's a "floating" desk. I think I'm going to ask him to make some "floating" shelves also. But this will be perfect for lesson planning and storing teacher manuals and binders.... and also for the future when I'm studying for big SLP exams... eeeek! I can't wait to have my own space.

Well, I'd better get to bed. Long week ahead of me!! Oh, and I'm turning 23!!! crazy.

Weekend Happenings -Random!

Today I went to an 8-hour workshop for ELA teachers. There were only about 8 of us there, which made it a really personable group. I feel like I learned a lot about what I need to do to better understand how my students learn, and what I can do to help them achieve mastering vocabulary and comprehension. I have 2 more of these workshops for the next 2 Saturdays, but I'm excited!!


Tomorrow we are going to try a new church - Journey Fellowship. We've been looking for a church for both of us for a long time now, and after listening to a few podcasts tonight and reading about their beliefs and ministries, I feel very enthusiastic about this visit!! Plus, they have coffee in the mornings- which is always a plus! ;) I will update more about this tomorrow!! Right now, I should really go to bed because I am tiiiiiired. This is the latest I've stayed up in a long time!